Pastor Terry Jones’ Koran Burning Suspended but Not Cancelled

Pastor Terry Jones’ Quran Burning Suspended but Not Cancelled- Fundamentalist Christian Pastor Terry Jones announced that his church, the Dove World Outreach Center will be suspending the planned Quran-burning on Saturday, September 11. Terry Jones however stressed that they are not canceling it but only suspending the plan.

Terry Jones agreed to halt the plan to burn Qurans after Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida met with him and discussed the issues surrounding his plans. The pastor added that he relented and decided to suspend the plan after the Imam assured him that the New York mosque will be moved.

A plan to erect a mosque near ground zero of the World Trade Center had earned the ire of Christians in the United States and even the opposition of Republicans and some Democrats. This is the first time however that Pastor Terry Jones cited the issue as one reason in the planned Quran-burning.

However, later in the day Terry Jones accused Musri of lying to him as the Imam denies that there was no such agreement reached with him. Musri added that the only agreement between them was that he and Terry Jones will travel to New York and meet Saturday to oversee plans to build a mosque near ground zero.

Terry Jones later on issued a statement saying, “Given what we are now hearing, we are forced to rethink our decision.” Jones then added, “So as of right now, we are not canceling the event, but we are suspending it.”

Rev. Terry Jones and the Dove World Outreach Center became the center of attention after their announced plans to burn the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Various personalities including US President Barack Obama had denounced their actions.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama urged him to listen to “those better angels” and give up his “stunt,” saying it would endanger U.S. troops and give Islamic terrorists a recruiting tool. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took the extraordinary step of calling Terry Jones personally.

Not all were pleased however of the actions of the President. Some are demanding that Terry Jones and the members of his church be arrested immediately for being a treat to national security. On the other side, Muslims who had heard of the plan protested and had some plans to retaliate.

Groups of Muslims also reacted on the possible decision to suspend building the mosque in New York. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the leader of the Islamic center project said that he is pleased with the developments but said he had not spoken to either Terry Jones or Musri. He also stressed that the plans to build the mosque is still ongoing and that they are not going to barter and toy with their religion.